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Carolyn tries to dissuade Elizabeth from marrying Jason and one of Elizabeth's verbal insults gives Carolyn a plan. Synopsis Teaser : My name is Victoria Winters. There has been an announcement at Collinwood, an announcement that has shocked all those who live here and filled them with disbelief. But there is one who will not accept this news, and is determined to do something about it. Carolyn enters the drawing room and overhears Elizabeth talking on the telephone speaking to Frank Garner, finalizing her divorce from Paul Stoddard. Carolyn starts a fight with Elizabeth; Elizabeth tells her the matter is settled. Act I Carolyn tells Elizabeth that she would like to see her married, but she still does not believe that she is marrying Jason of her own free will. Elizabeth reminds her that she thought the answer was in the basement yesterday, but was "proven" wrong. Carolyn, aghast, apologizes, but presses the issue. She points out that Elizabeth has never given any indication she even likes Jason. Elizabeth tries to end the argument several times, finally telling Carolyn that she should not try to run her life when she hasn't done so well with her own. Carolyn is visibly stunned and tells her she will do something with her life and storms out. Act II Later that afternoon, Victoria and Roger discuss David's poor marks in History in the drawing room. Victoria thinks he is on par with boys his age and points out his high marks in English and arithmetic, but Roger asks her to lean on History a bit more. Carolyn enters announcing that she has had a fight with her mother about the impending marriage, which Roger agrees is a poor choice. She says she's glad she had the chat, even though it was confusing rather than enlightening. She calls her mother "the classic picture of a woman about to make a fool of herself". Victoria, of course, takes Elizabeth's side and points out that she made the announcement right after they returned from the trip to the basement and that they must have all seemed like they were her enemies except Jason. Roger agrees they blew it. Carolyn tells them Elizabeth said she loves McGuire, they all cannot believe she actually said it. Victoria points out Jason's attractiveness and charm. Carolyn tells them that Elizabeth accused her of wasting her life and maybe she was right. She has obviously formed a plan. She goes to the telephone and says she is going to find love too. She calls someone named Buzz and tells him she saw him on his motorcycle and she wonders if the gas tank is full. Act III At The Blue Whale, Joe and Victoria talk over a drink, Joe saying he saw Carolyn with a motorcycle gang. Victoria says Carolyn is trying to get back at her mother. They turn their focus to Jason and Victoria says that Elizabeth and McGuire have a bond, but no one knows what it is. A roar of motorcycles is heard outside and Carolyn enters with Buzz. They order stingers and Carolyn pays for them, although they have obviously had enough. Carolyn spots Joe and Victoria and pulls Buzz over to meet them. Victoria and Joe seem less than impressed. But Carolyn seems quite happy with the afternoon. She tries to get Victoria to join them for a ride, but she refuses. She kisses Buzz passionately. Act IV Later, at Collinwood, Buzz brings Carolyn home and they agree to meet tomorrow. Carolyn asks Buzz what he thinks of her, and they kiss at the front door. Buzz knows he is being used, but is enjoying himself. She brings him inside and starts to get very loud, but Buzz does not want to start trouble. They go to the drawing room for a drink and she turns on a radio and pours them a brandy as they start dancing to the music. Elizabeth comes down and tells them it is 3am and orders Buzz to leave. Carolyn tells Buzz about her mother's impending marriage, making it obvious that she is trying to shame Elizabeth. Elizabeth storms out in tears as Carolyn shouts the name "Mrs. McGuire" over and over. Memorable quotes : Elizabeth: I am going to marry Jason McGuire. And there is nothing you or anybody else can do about it! : Carolyn: Mother, I'd like nothing more than to see you married, happy, whatever it is that will give you a full life. You should have everything you've been deprived of all these years. But why him? : Elizabeth: Because he is the man I choose. : Carolyn: That's not true. He chose you! ---- : Carolyn: I want to know what those endearing qualities are that make you think he is the perfect husband for you. And the ideal stepfather for me. : Elizabeth: Why do you hate him so! : Carolyn: Because he's sly and deceitful. And he has that ever-present smile on his face – that leering, smirking smile. It's a mask. But there's something else, something even more important. : Elizabeth: What is it? : Carolyn: I've never seen you display even one ounce of genuine fondness or affection for him. I don't believe you feel anything for him at all. ---- : Carolyn: Do you love him? Mother, if you don't answer me I'll take it to mean that you don't, and he's forcing you. Do you love him! : Elizabeth: Yes! Yes, I love him! You've got to believe me! I'm tired of everybody trying to live my life for me, and I don't see you doing much about your life! : Carolyn: Oh, I'll do something about my life. You can bet on that! ---- : Roger: Each individual reserves the right to ruin his or her life as quietly or flamboyantly as he chooses. Dramatis personae * ← Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard → * ← Louis Edmonds as Roger Collins → * ← Joel Crothers as Joe Haskell → * ← Nancy Barrett as Carolyn Stoddard → * ← Alexandra Moltke as Victoria Winters → * Michael Hadge as Buzz Hackett → * Bob O'Connell as Bob Rooney * Audrey Campbell as Blue Whale Customer (uncredited) Background information and notes Production * This episode was recorded out of broadcast sequence. The previous episode to be recorded was 249. * First appearance of actor Michael Hadge as the character Buzz Hackett. * Joel Crothers' character of Joe Haskell replaced Mitchell Ryan's character of Burke Devlin when Ryan failed to show up to record this episode. * New music is heard at the Blue Whale. * First appearance of a door knocker at the Old House, on the right-hand door. In 255, it has moved to the left-hand door. Story * When Elizabeth disapproves of Buzz as a boyfriend for Carolyn, saying she could not do any worse, a drunken Carolyn says if she can, she will. Carolyn will, in fact, go on to date a golem (Adam), a werewolf (Chris Jennings), and eventually marry a demon/Leviathan (Jeb Hawkes). * TIMELINE: Day 81 takes place. Day 82 begins, and will end in 253. 2:50am: Buzz and Carolyn return to Collinwood. Bloopers and continuity errors * In the opening scene, Joan Bennett stammers while on the phone. * While on the phone with her lawyer, she mentions the name of "Frank" twice, but it was Richard Garner who had recently dropped in to consult her on divorce proceedings against Paul Stoddard (246). Though it was previously stated that Frank Garner had a greater familiarity with divorce laws than his father (136), the character has long since been written out of the show and hasn't been heard from in some time (180). * Joan Bennett cannot get the upstairs door to open in the final scene; it appears to be stuck fast. * It is stated to have been yesterday when Carolyn, Roger, and Victoria visited the locked room in the basement. However the on-screen passage of time since then would suggest it has been two days. External links Dark Shadows - Episode 252 on the IMDb Dark Shadows Every Day - Episode 252 - How to Ruin Your Life The Dark Shadows Daybook - Episode 2520252